Rock The Kids World With an Exciting Treasure Hunting Getaway Finding Gemstones in Australia
This article on finding gemstones in Australia was first published in edition 7 of Family Holiday Destinations digital magazine.
Fossicking for Gemstones in Australia
Fossicking, prospecting, rockhounding, noodling … whatever you decide to call it, finding precious and semi-precious gemstones in Australia makes for an exciting family getaway. Experience the excitement of finding your very own sparkly gemstones in Australia while getting outdoors and getting active. It’s easier than you think!
Fossicking for gemstones has a long history in Australia and provides a fantastic opportunity to visit those charming small towns with friendly folk that Australia is known for. From blue sapphires to red garnets through to quirky thundereggs and opals containing a whole rainbow of colours, here are some great places to try your luck at finding sparkly treasure.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
Noodle For Boulder Opals at Opalton in Outback Queensland
Located around 100km southwest of Winton in Outback Queensland, Opalton is not really a town. It’s more of a campsite with running water and showers set up right next to a public fossicking area. There is literally nothing else here except boulder opal fields. If camping is not your thing, families can opt to stay in Winton and drive to Opalton on a day trip.
Fossicking for opals is called Noodling and is quite easy once you learn how. Bring along a spray bottle full of water and stroll among the pickings left behind from miners, spraying anything vaguely sparky with your spray bottle. If you see a flicker of colour when the water hits, there is a good chance you have found yourself a boulder opal!
If you were to ask my kids, this is their favourite experience at finding gemstones in Australia. I suspect it had something to do with being let loose with a spray bottle!
Psst: While you’re in Winton, make sure to check out the attractions on the Dinosaur Trail.
Where to Stay
Camping is available at Opalton bush park. It’s located right next to the opal fossicking fields and works on an honesty box system for a few dollars per adult and a donation for the WiFi. There is a toilet, shower and closed-in eating area and families can set up camp wherever they want. This is a great, low-cost, quiet campsite but if you can’t live without facilities such as shops, playgrounds etc. you might be better off staying in Winton itself.
Credit – Tourism and Events Queensland
Dig Up Thundereggs in The Gold Coast Hinterlands
Thundereggs are a 200 million-year-old mystery that has nothing to do with both thunder and eggs. The theory is that millions of years ago, a volcanic upheaval occurred in which bubbles formed in the silica-rich rock. As it cooled off, the materials shrank thus producing a star-shaped cavity that eventually filled with minerals such as jasper, quartz, agate and more.
Thundereggs come in a range of colours. Expect to see purple, grey/blue, cream, pink, orange, light green, white and honey, depending on the mineral that has developed inside them over the years.
Although thundereggs can be found at various places in NSW and QLD, Thunderbird Park in Mt Tamborine in the Gold Coast Hinterland is home to the world’s largest thunderegg mine. In fact, it’s hard NOT to find a thunderegg here. Rent your equipment from the Thunderegg Mine Shop and staff will explain what you need to do.
Thundereggs are found in only a few places worldwide so this is a pretty cool gemstone in Australia to find.
Where to Stay
Thunderbird Park has great camping facilities and plenty of other stuff to do such as a high ropes course for kids, including younger kids, and a range of other fun family-friendly activities. Cabins and more upmarket accommodation is also available here.
Fossick for Sapphires and Zircons at Oberon in New South Wales
Nestled in the shadows of the Blue Mountains around 150km west of Sydney, Oberon has five fossicking sites opened to the public. There is the possibility of finding sapphires, zircon, gold and diamond here! This is an amazing place to find gemstones in Australia.
Usually, a fossicking licence is required to look for sparkly treasure in State Forest areas in NSW however Oberon has a few designated fossicking areas accessible to the public where you do not require this.
Dreaming of gold? Many of the techniques you will use to fossick for gold are the same used by prospectors over a century ago. Families can buy or rent a gold pan, fill it three quarters with dirt, lower it in the water and shake the dish around a little. Okay so this is a simple explanation, but you can get some guidance from the Visitor Information Centre at 48 Ross St in Oberon. The staff will provide you with info to enjoy your fossicking adventure. However, make sure to practice your skills at the ‘’Beginner’s Luck Patch” out the back.
Dreaming of Sapphires and Zircons? Use the double sieve method to find Sapphire and Zircons here. It’s really easy to learn. Just ask at the visitor centre where you can also rent the equipment you need for the day.
Where to Stay
Jenolan Caravan Park is located in Oberon itself and national park style camping is available at Kanangra-Boyd National Park. However, if camping is not your style, there are plenty of other options in Oberon to suit.
Poke Around For Killiecrankie Diamonds (Topaz) on Flinders Island in Tasmania
Tasmania’s Flinders Island is home to the beautiful Killiecrankie Diamond. Although technically it’s topaz and not a diamond. Families can head to the Killiecrankie Bay fossicking area and poke around among the granite boulders at low tide. Try digging and sieving the beach below the high tide watermark.
The topaz found on Flinders Island is usually clear, ice blue and pink gold and legends have it that topaz has the power to protect the wearer from illness and accidents. This is a unique place to find unique gemstones in Australia.
Where to Stay
Camping on Flinders Island is for those who are self-sufficient campers as there are no powered sites or facilities. Find more details here. Alternatively, there are hotels and other options available on the island.
Credit – Stu Gibson
Find Opals at Coober Pedy in South Australia
Around 750km northwest of Adelaide in South Australia, Coober Pedy is well known for opals. Head to the Jewell Box, an area that is still used as a mine dump, and noodle through the tailing in the hope of finding small opals or pieces of colourful potch (low-quality opal).
Bring along a spray bottle and a small pick or shovel to move the stones around and spray them with water. If you’re lucky, you’ll see some sparkly colours when you spray the rocks.
Where to Stay:
Try Riba’s Underground Camping for a unique camping experience. Alternatively, there are plenty of other unique accommodation options in Coober Pedy itself. Heading to Coober Pedy to find gemstones in Australia is a unique opportunity to sleep in Coober Pedy’s infamous underground hotels.
Credit – South Australian Tourism Commission
Search For Rock Crystals at Mt Hope in New South Wales
Around 600km west of Sydney, Mount Hope is where you will find beautiful rock crystals. In the late 19th and 20th centuries, there was a copper mine here but a bushfire in the 1950s saw its closure and it now has a population of around 50 people.
The rock crystals can be found around 30cm – 50cm below the surface and are usually found by dry sieving the dirt.
There is not a whole lot to do at Mount Hope besides find the stunning rock crystals however it’s worth a stop overnight when passing through to visit the charming country-style pub and try your luck finding your own crystals. For those of you who love to truly get off the beaten track, this is a great opportunity to find gemstones in Australia.
Where to Stay
Camping is available 45 minutes south of Mt Hope at the Billabourie Riverside Tourist Park. Alternatively, 30 minutes north is hotel/motel accommodation in Cobar.
Fossick For Sapphires in The Queensland Gemfields
Around 332km west of Rockhampton are the small towns of Rubyvale and Sapphire. Although you don’t actually have to leave the towns to discover sapphires, there are 11 local fossicking areas nearby that produce both sapphires and zircons. This area is well known for producing gemstones in Australia.
Beginners can head out on a tag-a-long tour. We recommend going with Fascination Gems as we scored 11 sapphires in a few hours under their guidance. They supply all the equipment and expertise and you can leave whenever you’ve had enough. Once you learn the basics, you can then come back and try on your own.
Where to Stay
Blue Gem Tourist Park is a quiet caravan park with a great little shop that sells fuel and food. We have stayed there twice now, even finding sapphires in the creek behind it. Alternatively, motel and holiday units can be found in Rubyvale.
Credit – Tourism and Events Queensland
Dig For Red Garnets and Zircons at Gemtree in Central Australia, NT
Located on the Plenty Highway, 140km northeast of Alice Springs, Gemtree Caravan Park is the place to head for sparkly red gemstones in Australia. Families can join in a tag-along tour with all equipment supplied in search of bright red garnets or the well-known Mud Tank zircons.
Speaking from experience, the red garnets are easy peasy to find here and the caravan park itself is spacious and peaceful. When I say they are easy, we found over 100 in a few hours! Although many are too small to have cut, they look great in a little display jar.
Cabins are also available if camping is not your style. As a bonus, when you order a meal, they will even deliver it by quad bike to your campsite.
Out of all the places to find gemstones in Australia, this has been my favourite so far.
Credit – Jessica Palmer
Fossick For Royal Blue Sapphires at Glen Innes in New South Wales
Found on the northern border of New South Wales, Glen Innes is one of the most well-known sites for sapphires in the state. Here you will find stunning Australian gemstones of beautiful, deep, rich, royal blue.
Families learning to fossick can head to the Glen Innes Highlands Visitor Information Centre on the New England Highway to hire any tools, grab the fossicking brochure and ask any questions you may have. Both the Fossicker Caravan Park and Glen Rest Tourist Park provide beginner lessons. If you prefer not to camp, there are plenty of other accommodation options in Glen Innes.
For families that already know what they are doing, head to Yarrow Creek Bridge where you may also find topaz, garnet and zircon. Kookabookra, an old mining settlement area, is another great option with over 500m of river access at Sara River Bridge and Glencoe has both a dedicated fossicking reserve and a charming pub.
Credit – Destination NSW
Noodle Opals at Lightning Ridge in New South Wales
Around 720 km north-west of Sydney and the same distance south-west of the Gold Coast, Lightning Ridge needs no introduction when it comes to opals. Here is where you will find the world-famous black opal and the largest opal-producing fields in Australia.
Lightning Ridge is by far, one of the most well-known places to find gemstones in Australia. However, it’s also a great place for a family road trip as there are plenty of facilities and plenty more to do in the area than noodle for opals. Visit the Outback theatre, bore baths, galleries and much more.
The Walk-in Mine is a fun attraction for the whole family but when the hobby gets serious, drive out to the Grawin opal fields where there are three public dump sites, each about the size of a football field.
Where to Stay
Campers and caravans might like to try Opal Caravan Park or Lorne Station. Alternatively, there are a few hotel/motel options in Lightning Ridge.
Credit – Destination NSW
Need to Know Before You Fossick For Gemstones in Australia
For more information on fossicking in NSW and getting a fossicking licence here, visit the NSW Fossicking Permit website. A yearly fossicking licence will set you back $27.50 for a family (up to five people).
For more information on fossicking in QLD and getting a licence, visit the QLD Fossicking Licence page. A fossicking licence valid for one month will set a family back $12.40 and a yearly licence will cost $73.90.
Visit Mineral Resources Tasmania’s Prospecting and Fossicking page for more details on fossicking and prospecting in Tasmania.
Check out the Department for Energy and Mining fossicking page for South Australia fossicking information.
Visit the NT Governments Fossicking page to find more information on finding gemstones in the NT.
